The 2027 NBA Draft conversation is still early, but the perimeter-shooting group already has some real juice. Tyran Stokes is sitting near the top of the board for now, yet the class also includes a handful of returnees who passed on the 2026 draft and could force their way into the first-round picture next year.
Among that group, NC State wing Paul McNeil Jr. stands out after a breakout sophomore season. He averaged 13.8 points and 3.6 rebounds while hitting 43.3% from the field and 42.7% from 3-point range on 7.9 attempts per game.
His biggest night came against Texas Southern, when he poured in 47 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, added a steal and committed zero turnovers while shooting 12-of-18 overall and 11-of-17 from deep. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds, McNeil is back for his junior year and could be one of the ACC’s top players in 2026-27.
Another major name is Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, who tested the 2026 NBA Draft waters before choosing to return to college and head to Kentucky. The former four-star recruit posted 16.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and an assist as a junior with the Cyclones, shooting 50.6% from the field and 48.7% from 3 on 7.5 attempts per game.
He led the nation in 3-point percentage and 3-pointers made in 2025-26. Over 102 career games at Iowa State, Momcilovic shot 42.8% from beyond the arc on 6 attempts per game.
At the 2026 NBA Combein, he measured 6-foot-8 without shoes and posted a 6-foot-9-and-a-quarter wingspan.
Pryce Sandfort is also in the mix after helping Nebraska reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history, one of the program’s most successful seasons. The former Iowa transfer averaged 18.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal as a junior, while shooting 47.9% from the field and 41.6 from 3-point range on 8.9 attempts per game.
Sandfort finished third among all Division I players in 3-pointers made in 2025-26 with 129. The younger brother of Payton Sandfort, who earned a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder after going undrafted in the 2025 class, Pryce is listed at 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds.
In Other News...
Mark Pope Is Building Kentucky Around Something Fans Will Appreciate
Kentucky basketball wrapped up its summer practices and then headed to Eastern Kentucky for its annual team retreat, a trip that has become one of Mark Popes early staples in Lexington. The Wildcats spent part of the visit doing community service by helping build a gazebo for the ARH Cancer Center in Hazard, a stop that fit the programs push to connect with the state beyond the floor.
The retreat also included a kayaking tour at Red River Gorge, giving the group a chance to step away from the gym and keep building the kind of chemistry Pope has made a point of emphasizing. It is the sort of summer detail Kentucky fans tend to appreciate, because it blends basketball with a little humility, a little service and a reminder that the programs reach is meant to extend well beyond game nights. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Quarterback History Just Set A Tough Standard For Kenny Minchey
Kentucky football has a long, demanding quarterback lineage, and any new starter steps into it with the kind of scrutiny that comes from living alongside program legends. The latest look back at the Wildcats best passers put Tim Couch, Jared Lorenzen, Andre Woodson, Babe Parilli and Will Levis at the top of the list, a reminder that this position has produced some of the most recognizable names in school history and set a high bar for anyone hoping to follow.
Now the attention turns to Kenny Minchey, the Notre Dame transfer expected to take over under center this season. For a quarterback who has not yet played a snap for Kentucky, the challenge is as much about history as it is about production, because the job comes with a built-in comparison to the players who defined the program before him. The good news for Minchey is that Kentucky has shown it can find winning quarterbacks in different eras, but the standard he is inheriting is a difficult one to match. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Still Has A Roster Concern Mark Pope Can't Ignore
Kentuckys offseason roster work is not done, and the latest missed target only underscores why Mark Pope and his staff are still surveying the market for help on the wing and in the frontcourt. The Wildcats had interest in a veteran forward who could have brought experience and flexibility to the rotation, but the pursuit ended with him choosing another familiar destination, leaving Kentucky to keep sorting through other seasoned options.
The broader issue is simple enough: this is a roster that still could use more proven size and depth, especially on the perimeter-beyond-guard spots where the Wildcats want more answers. Kentucky also has to navigate an eligibility picture that remains unsettled, which means the portal and the calendar could keep opening doors well into the run-up to the 2026-27 season. For now, though, the need is clear and the search continues. [Read more 🡒]